2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML-320

Summary:

I couldn't ask for a better car

General Comments:

Love the car.

I live in Anchorage, Alaska thus have to deal with lots of winter driving. The car sticks to the icy roads like glue and I have yet to get it stuck in deep snow!

I liked my car so much that my husband bought the same exact car for himself. He has pulled out numerous cars and pickups out of ditches and up icy roads. One vehicle was a Ford F-250 pickup with a snow plow on the front. The little ML-320 looks anything, but masculine or beefy. Many of the drivers we have pulled out of these bad conditions simply give us a nod. I think they are in disbelief that this car could pull their vehicles out and on one occasion pulled a trailer up an icy road when 3 pickups could not. Mercedes-Benz should consider a re-enactment of this scenario for a commercial!

Summer driving is the same great experience. We live on gravel roads that are simply horrible. While many cars would rattle apart, these cars are standing up nicely and continue to perform superbly on the highway.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st December, 2006

2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML320

Summary:

Stay away from Mercedes Benz if you value peace of mind

Faults:

I fortunately purchased a zero deductible 6 year extended warranty that would take me to 100K miles and 10 years of ownership.

- At 2K miles - The dashboard started rattling within 3 months of ownership.

- At 9K miles - The rear seat (second row dual seat) would not lock when pushed flush to the ground for cargo carrying purposes.

- At 9K miles - There are 2 positions when the rear seat (second row dual seat) is used for seating. In the rear of the 2 positions (when the second row dual seat is used for seating) it would not lock and slide forward when brakes were applied.

- At 12K miles - Handle for rear seat broke (to get access to third row seat).

- At 15K miles - The windows stopped working, they went down and then not come up and the motor had to be replaced.

- At 18K miles - Rear bumper corner came loose. Also, power steering recall fixed at that time.

- At 21K miles - Noticed orange stains on the upholstery ceiling near moon-roof, and dealer confirmed that moon-roof had been leaking for a while. All the upholstery replaced.

- At 30K miles - Front brake pads replaced.

- At 32K miles - Weather stripping coming apart at 3 doors. Also, rear hatch not locking because plastic arm in latch was broken.

- At 35048 miles - Driver's seat trim and left rear seat trim comes loose.

- At 35528 miles - Transmission seals leak. Replaced seal rings and fluid.

- At 39K miles - Check engine light comes on and vehicle drives very sluggishly. Ignition coil 1-3 replaced. Also, replaced left and right catalyst converters. ($800 of which warranty paid $500).

- At 43K miles - One of the keys to start the car stops working ($120).

- At 49K miles - Had to replace rear brake pads and rotors ($700).

- At 51K miles - Ignition coil 2 fails ($540 of which insurance pays $400).

General Comments:

I am wondering what will fail next.

Stay away from Mercedes Benz.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 28th November, 2006

30th Dec 2006, 08:50

"stay away from Mercedes-Benz" is an unfair and uninformed statement. I have owned four Mercedes since 1974, including an ML320 and it is clearly the worst. it is also the only Mercedes I've owned that is built outside Germany in the USA.

All Mercedes-Benz except the ML, R-Class and GL are made in Germany.

Do not buy a American built Mercedes!

2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML320 3.2L

Summary:

Really a good, luxury SUV, great German engineering

Faults:

Nothing much... so far, just the rear and front brakes, which I replaced myself, being a little technically inclined.

Luckily, at nearing the end of my manufacturer's warranty, the dealership suggested that I have all the things they thought would most likely give problems, replaced. They replaced quite a lot of items, despite the fact that nothing was wrong, and I guess paid off; no problems thus far. The total cost for all the dealer did was up to $4,000... yep, good thing it did not come from my pocket.

Turns out I must have had one of the better assembled ML320s... Seems most people have had so many bad experiences with this Mercedes line of vehicles.

General Comments:

Drives pretty well. Mine is the Sports edition with AMG tail piece; makes for a lovely drone, and superb pick up off the line.

Really a nice car... My cousin drives the X5 BMW V8; have driven it a couple of times; still prefer mine to his.

Would definitely buy another one. Have driven it to New York and back to Denver, Colorado no problems. Definitely an excellent highway car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th April, 2006